Folded paper napkin



Aug. 16, 1927. 1,639,031

A. GROFF FOLDED PAPER NAPKIN Filed Dec. 2l. 1925 Patented Aug. '16,1927.

'UNITED STATES AARON GROFF, F ST. PAUL, -MINNESOTA.

FOLDED PAPER NAPKIN.

Application led December 2,1., .1925. Serial No. 76,677.

This invention relates to a folded article ofr thin sheet material, suchas paper, and particularly relates to a folded paper napkin. Paper.napkins are now used in this country at the rate of about fifty milliona day and the making and folding of these napkins is quite a largebusiness. The napkins are usually folded and packed inV boxes in whichvthey are shipped to the customer. It is desirable, therefore, to haveythe napkins folded into efficient shape and one which will economicallylend itself to packing.

The napkins are largely used in restaurants and lunch rooms and the sameare often placed, side by side, in a container. It is desirable,therefore, to have the napkins so folded that it will be easy to selectone napkin from Y' the group. With napkins folded, as heretofore, itoften happens that a patron will take two or three napkins out of thecontainer, intending only to take one and said two or three napkins areusually then used and rendered unfit for further use.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a folded napkinfolded into very convenient forni for use and so that it can readily beeconomically packed and also can readily be selected from a group ofnapkins in the container. y

It is a further object of the invention to provide a napkin ofrectangular shape folded into substantially triangular form, the napkinsfirst 4being folded into quarters and then having its side portionsfolded onto opposite sides of a central portion.

It is still furtherI an object of the invention to provide afoldednapkin, as set forth in the preceding paragraph, in which thecentral portion has a pointed end projecting beyond the folded sideportions, which end portion is then folded over toward said sideportions.

It is more specifically an object of the invention to provide a napkinof rectangular forni folded successively to quarter size and then havingside portions substantially triangular in shape folded onto oppositesides of the centralportion to form a folded article pointed at one end`and having a projecting triangular portion at its opposite end, whichtriangular portion is then folded toward the pointed end.'

yIt is also an object of the invention to pro- 1xide a novel method offolding a paper nap- 1n.y f l A TheseV and other lobjects and advantagesof the invention will be fully set forth in the v following description.made` in connection with the accompanying drawings in which likereference characters refer to the saine parts throughout the differentviews, and'i'n which, i y

Fig. 1 is a planview of a napkin used having dotted lines thereonindicating lines along which the napkins is folded in one method offolding disclosed herein;

Fig. 2 isa plan `view of a napkin in 'folded condition; f

` Fig. 3 is a vertical section takenv on the line 3-3of Fig. 2, asindicated by the arrows; v

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the folded napkin folded in slightly differentmanner than that shown in Fig. 2,;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, asindicated by the arrows;

Fig. 6 isa plan view of a napkin folded in modified form; and

Fig. 7 is a. view illustrating how the napkins may be packed.

Referring to the drawings, in Fig. 1 a napkin 10 is illustrated, andwhile the napkin may be made in various shapes, in the embodiment of theinvention illustrated, the "same is shown of rectangular shape,preferably substantially square. The napkin is first folded intoquarters, and while this may be variously done, in the embodiment of theinvention illustrated, the napkin is shown as being successively foldedalong median lines 10a and,y 10b. The napkin is thus brought intolmultiple ply form having a size or area one-quarter of its originalarea. In the form shown in Fig.` 2, the napkin has a side portion 10cfolded inwardly toward a central portion 10d along a line 10 extendingsubstantially from one corner of the quarter size folded napkin to anintermediate point in one of the sides forming the opposite corner.Another side portion 10 similar to thev side portion 10 is now foldedinwardlyv along the line 10g ywhich also extends from one corner of thequarter multi-ply articles to an intermediate point in the other sideforming the opposite corner. The side 10t is folded to .lie downu'ponthe opposite side of the central portion 10d from the side portion 10,as shown in Fig. 3. After the side portions 10C and 10f have beenfolded, as described, the central portion has a pointed end portion 10hat its end opposite the corner from which lines 10'J and 10g extend, andthis pointed or triangular end portion is then folded inwardly`substantially along the line 10 lconnecting the points at which thelines 10""and 10g intersect the sides of the article, which line extendssubstantially perpendicular to the diagonal extending from the corner atwhich lines 10e and 10g intersect. It will be seen thatA the free andlongeredge of the side portion 10c and 10f are spaced'by small anglesfrom the sides of the central portion, respectively. The side portions10CV and 10f and the central portion 10b all have pointed ends meetinginl a substantially common point but the angle of the sides of thecentral portion is somewhat greater than the angles between the sides ofthe side portions.. The completed folded napkin, as shown in Fig. 2, isthen ofsubstantially triangular form. Such afolded napkin lreadily lendsitself to economical packing. The folded napkins can be placed inreverse arrangement, as shown in Fig. 7, and thus economically packed ina box.

l/Vhen such a napkin, as shown in Fig. 2.

is placed in an open top container in groups, it will be `very easytoselect one of the napkins from the group. There will always be one ofthe side edges of the side portions 10 or 10f at the outer side `ofthegroup which can be grasped between the lingers of the person selectingthe napkin. `It will thus be insured rthat only one napkin will beselected. lf th-e folded-over end portion should be on the outside ofthe group the person selecting the napkin could also vdraw out from thepile by grasping the said end portion between his fingers; The napkinscan very readily be opened forY use by the patron by merely vtaking holdof the edges Iof the side portions 10C and 10 and then opening thenapkin. y l

In Fig. 4i, a` slightlymodiiied formv of folding `is shown. l. Thenapkin is foldedI into quarters, vas already described, and the sideportions 10C and 110f arel then folded inwardly. Instead of folding oneside ,portion at one side of the eentralportion, however, and the otherside portiony at the' opposite side of the lcentral portion. both sideportions 10c andv 10f are folded ,downi at the `sanne side of thevcentral portion,l theside portion 10c being superposed on the sideportion 10f. The end portion 10h isthen folded"l over, as alreadydescribed. The napkin folded, as showninFig. it. may alsobeweryeconomically packed. 1When the same isy placedin a container `for use,however, it gniaywhapp'en that there will be no free edge of the sideexcept that" the endportion 10j, instead of being folded inwardlyAsubstantially along the line 10i, has its end portion 10j folded alonga line parallel to the line 10i andsubstantially midway between; theline' 10:A and the adjacent corner or tip' ofthe pointed end'.

The advantage in the form shown in Fig. 6 is that inthe complete foldednapkin there will be no additional'thicknessunder folded end 10j astherev is at the Zone where the folded-over portion 10h overlies bothofV the side portions 10C and 10i. When the napkins are packed, oneontop ofthe other in the box, more ofthe napkins can thus be placed i'nthe box. At the same time,the folded-over end portion 10-i saves'considerable in' the area of the box used.' rlhe napkin shown in F 6 hasall the advantages in use aheady'set forth in connection withl thenapkin shown in Figs.` 2 and 3.

The folded napkins are now often placed in a so-called sanitarycontainer. rllhis container is in the shape of an inverted trough with'its side arranged approximately to fit the folded' napkin, said sidesbeing disposed at an angle to each other substantially the Il same asthe angle between the sides of the foldedtnapkin, as shown in Figs. 2and 4'. The container is open at one end and has fianges at said endextending partially across the end napkin, the napkin-S usually ifabeing held therein against said flanges by a resiliently moved plate'.lVith such containers it is diiiicult to remove one napkin when thenapkins are folded as heretofore with the ends projecting straight.napkin folded as disclosed in the present ap'- plication, that is, withtheend portions 10h and 10'j folded over, it is an easy matter for thenapkin to be removed. The foldedover end will be at: the open end of the`container and the same can always be grasped at a point between theside flanges of the container. The customer is tliereforesureto removeonly one napkin and the napkin can be lreadily grasped by the fingersfor such removal. K

From the above description it will be seen that applicant has provided agreatly iin'- proved` folded napkin and' method of folding the same. Thespace necessary for packthe napkins isv greatly reduced and the napkinshave distinct advantages in use. As above stated, the nuinber of napkinsused daily in this country is very large and the provision of' napkinsis quite an itein of exlith a Y; i

pense in the conduct of eating places. The use of paper napkins in homesand domestic establishments is largely on the increase as well. Thefolded napkins disclosed herein has been amply demonstrated in actualuse and found to be very successful and eflicient.

It will, of course, be understood, that various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and proportionsof the parts and in thesteps and sequence of steps in the method without departing from thescope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists in adevice capable of carrying out the objects a'bove set forth, in thenovel method, parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined inthe appended claims.

That isclaimedis:

l. A folded article comprising a substantially rectangular paper sheetfolded successively on its two median lines into a* fourply rectangulararticle and further having its side portions folded inwardly to lie atopposite sides of its central portion along lines extendingsubstantially from one folded corner to intermediate points on the sidesforming the opposite corner, thus producing an article having a point atthe free edges of said plies, said article having the Said point foldedover on a line, normal to the median line thereof, and disposed betweenthe point occupied by the tip of said point before said point was foldedover and the line joining said intermediate points.

2. A folded article comprising va substantially rectangular paper sheetfolded successively on its two median lines into a fourply rectangulararticle, and further having its side portions folded inwardly so thatthe. side portions and the central portion lie in juxtaposition thusproducing an article having a point at its end, said article having thesaid point folded over on a line substantially normal to themedi-(inline thereof and disposed between the point occupied by the tipof said point before being folded over and the line oining saidintermediate points.l

8. A folded article comprising a. substantially rectangular paper sheetfolded successively on its two median lines into a fourply rectangulararticle and further folded inwardly to lie at opposite sides of itscentral portion, said side portions being folded along lines extendingsubstantially from one corner of said article to intermediate points onthe sides forming the opposite corner, thus forming an article having apoint at its end, whereby an edge is disposedat each side of said napkinwhich can be engaged to Withdraw said napkin from a stack of napkins orfrom a container.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

AARON GROFF.

